– in the Scottish Parliament on 6 June 2024.
I thank you, Presiding Officer, for the opportunity for each party to make some remarks about D day. Eighty years ago today, British soldiers joined those from America, Canada and...
I share the sentiments of the Deputy First Minister and Douglas Ross on this day, the 80th anniversary of D day. It is right that we commemorate all the Scottish, British and Commonwealth...
As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-day, I have found myself reflecting on a particular evening during the 2016 election campaign, when I knocked on a door not too far from here. The door...
To ask the Deputy First Minister whether the Scottish Government will review the impact of the short-term let licensing legislation, in light of the upcoming summer tourist season. (S6F-03216)
To ask the Deputy First Minister how the Scottish Government will prevent further GP practice closures, in light of reports that the number of surgeries has declined in every NHS board since...
To ask the Deputy First Minister by what date the Scottish Government will decide which of the national park nominations will be taken forward to the next stage. (S6F-03205)
In light of the reports about CMAL being merged into a national ferries body, what assurances can the Deputy First Minister provide that CMAL jobs will remain in Port Glasgow town centre?
A parliamentary question that I submitted has revealed that the SNP Government holds no information on repeat offences for its flagship domestic abuse rehabilitation programme, which is known as...
On Tuesday, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice stood where the Deputy First Minister is and delivered the annual update on progress to tackle child poverty. We know that levels of child...
While Westminster trashes the United Kingdom with Brexit, the Scottish National Party Government is prioritising boosting economic growth. The latest Bank of Scotland business barometer report...
On 28 May 2020, in Inverness, Dwayne MacLeay and Gary MacKay were killed, and Kimberley Nicholson was violently stabbed. The person who carried out the attack had had contact with Police...
Only 38 per cent of type 1 diabetics in NHS Lothian have access to a flash glucose monitor, compared with 51.8 per cent across Scotland. The divide is even more stark for children, as only a...
I associate the Scottish Greens with colleagues’ comments in commemoration of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in Normandy 80 years ago to liberate Europe from fascism. We will...
The Deputy First Minister mentioned earlier the warnings by the Institute for Fiscal Studies that Labour and Tory spending plans will mean sharp cuts for public services. Has the Scottish...
It seemed as though things might finally be progressing on Skye, with NHS Highland’s draft plan to restore 24/7 urgent care at Portree community hospital being submitted to ministers on 24...
Last weekend, Orkney’s young athletes—hockey players, swimmers, footballers and netballers—successfully retained the Stuart cup in the junior intercounty competition against...
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
